Face retouching 4

[Still-learning]

My project of today;



This time (got some good advice from other users) I kept it a bit more realistic.
Only tried to improve and perfect the face, no soft-light or blur-effects)

And again, comments welcome..

 

[Tom Mann]

IMHO, both versions are OK. There's nothing technically "wrong" with either, so it's difficult to say one is "better" than the other without knowing the subject's goals, your intent and/or the use to which the image will be put, the directions from the art director of a hypothetical ad campaign, etc..

I've seen images processed much like the left version enlarged to be 6 foot high displayed prominently in trendy stores. At the opposite end of the spectrum, I would bet the the mother of the subject would absolutely hate the LH version, tolerate the RH version a bit more, but in their heart, prefer if the shot was lit completely differently, ie, much less starkly.

In fact, these are hardly the only two choices -- starting with the LH image, there are an infinite number of technically OK choices now open to us at the push of a button. These range from gritty, inner city cross processed looks to "Portrait Professional" looks.

If I had absolutely nothing else to go on, and forced to express my preferences, I would probably go for something in-between the two versions you posted. This would at least give the guy a skin color that's neither as sallow as the LH version, and not as orange as the RH version.

Cheers,

Tom M

 

[ibclare]

Interesting observations Tom.

I think you took some good tips from your last retouch SL and I like this one. Of course as I said before, it does depend on the use of the portrait, the intent as Tom said.

I like the way you opened up the eyes. I think maybe the right side of the mouth is too symmetrical. Also look at the corner of the mouth and you will see that the lip does not connect. In fact much of the part you corrected seems just slightly transparent. And I agree that the skin tone is a bit too warm, like that early lotion you applied to mimic suntan that was too yellow. I'm not teasing you SL. I like your work and I like that you want critique and have a really positive attitude.

 

[Tom Mann]

Hey, Still-learning, I have a question for you: Did you use Portrait Professional on this one? I ask because the facial re-shaping looks a lot like what Portrait Pro would do.

Tom M

PS - That's why I put the reference to Portrait Pro in my last post. ;-)

PPS - Unlike many folks, I have absolutely no problem when people use PP to speed up their workflow. I use it myself. One just has to use a bit of restraint so the sitter doesn't come out looking like an alien with a wide forehead, big dark eyes, a small chin and plastic skin. ;-)

 

[Tom Mann]

BTW, Still-Learning - Note that the original of this image of Kelly Slater (ie, photographed by Martin Schoeller, displayed widely, including http://www.acegallery.net/artwork.php?pageNum_ACE=99&totalRows_ACE=126&Artist=41), does not have the highly processed look that you apparently started with.

Every time one performs any operation on an image, one loses information, and this loss may be serious enough that one can never re-process the image to recover the original. For example, if the original is processed to have very high contrast, the brightest tones may become completely blown (ie, 255,255,255 or at least blown in one of the three channels), so there is no way one can ever recover the original bright, but not blown tones. This is one of the aspects of your left image (look at the bright, oddly colored areas of the skin) that makes it very difficult to recover a truly pleasing, natural look by post processing.

HTH,

Tom M

 

[Tom Mann]

One more thing, Still-Learning, did you actually start with your left image and use PP techniques to get the right image that you posted, or did you start with the original (see citation above), and process it in two ways: one aggressively processed to yield your left image, and then processed a second time (perhaps with Portrait Pro face re-shaping) much more conservatively to yield your right image?

Tom M

 

[Still-learning]

@Tom Mann:
Indeed, both versions are OK. Just removed some spots, lines and restored his right upperlip.
I didn't use Portrait Professional but 'Face Control' from Redfield plugin to 'open' up the face a bit.
But I prefer not to use auto-plugins.

And about the 'originality' of the left image;
I think something went wrong, usualy I enhace my base image with Ashampoo Photo Optimizer (if the result is better) and this image went worse so I didn't want tgo use Ashampoo, but I quess I auto-saved the processed image into the before image. (working to quickly is one of my mistakes)


@ibclare:
Thanks for the details about the lip and the tranparacy..

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi Still-Learning - I still don't understand the sequence of events. Specifically, did you:

a) find yellowish "the left image" somewhere on the web, and then process it to obtain the right image; or, did you ...

b) find a relatively normal looking version on the web (eg, like the link I cited above) and then process it twice -- once to come up with the left image, and then a second time to come up with "the right image"?

Tnx,

Tom M

 

[Tom Mann]

S-L: I re-read your last post and think that you are saying that you did (b). Is that correct?

Tom

 

[Still-learning]

Normally I copy an image. A is the original and B is my project

The following thing happened;

- Found the original image (right).
- Optimized it with aShampoo
- Concluded that it wasn't an improvement
- While shutting down aShampoo the program asked "Image processed. Save image?"
- Accidently pressed <Yes>
(original image A (left) no longer original)
- Started working on image B (right)

Hmmm, I hope this makes clear wath happened..

 

[Tom Mann]

Thank you, S-L, now I understand. The reason I was so curious is that when I first saw this thread, I thought that the left image was the original and you then processed it to obtain the right image. However, when I attempted to do this, I found it almost impossible to do this well. Then I started to suspect that (as you just explained), both the left and right images derived from a common starting point.

Best regards and thanks again,

Tom M

 

[ibclare]

Thanks Tom for getting to the bottom of this.

SL, please take this as a learning experience. People want to know what they are seeing and can't get inside your head! We like to post before and after works, otherwise there is no point of reference.

Keep up the good work. :mrgreen: